American Airlines Baggage Fees Spike 17% Amid Loyalty Program Crack-Down Effort

American Airlines has raised the cost of checked bags on its flights for the first time in nearly six years. The carrier has also changed how customers can earn frequent flyer points.

Hiked Bag Fees

Checking a bag on a domestic American Airlines flight will now cost $35 online and $40 at the airport, representing a slight increase from the previous rate of $30. Passengers wanting to check a second bag on a domestic flight will now pay $45 both online and at the airport instead of $40. 

American is also raising checked bag fees for short-haul international flights, including those to Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Passengers can expect to pay $35 for the first checked bag and $45 for the second. These prices were raised from $30 and $40, respectively.

It should be noted that American Airlines customers holding some sort of status with the carrier's loyalty program will be entitled to one free checked bag. This benefit is also true for customers in a premium class of service or those holding an American-branded credit card.

Bag fees have become a solid source of revenue for U.S. airlines. American Airlines introduced such fees in 2008; they were $15 back then. The carrier has since led the U.S. aviation industry in bag fee revenues, amassing $1.4 billion from this source alone in 2022. American is not expected to be the only airline raising prices for checked luggage.

According to Scott Keyes, founder of the travel site Going, airlines "tend to move in herds." Therefore, if one airline raises its bag fees, others will undoubtedly follow. Alaska Airlines and JetBlue have been two other U.S. carriers that have increased their luggage rates. Alaska adopted the same $5 price increases as American, meaning $35 for the first checked bag and $45 for the second in economy class. JetBlue's first checked bag fee is now $35, and $50 for the second bag.

American has specified that it will not impose a hefty price for passengers with overweight or oversized bags. These fees will start from $30 for bags no more than three pounds (one kilogram) or three linear inches (78 centimeters) over the current checked bag limits.

According to American Airlines' website, the size and weight limits of checked bags are as follows:

• Size: 62 inches (158 centimeters); relating to the total outside dimensions (length + width + height)
• Weight: 50 pounds (23 kilograms)

First and Business Class passengers can bring checked luggage up to 70 pounds (32 kilograms) for complimentary bags and 50 pounds (23 kilograms) for excess charged bags.

Frequent Flyer Changes

The second notable change that American Airlines has made is the way that its frequent flyers can earn points. Starting with tickets issued from May 1, American Airlines customers will have to purchase tickets directly from its website, those of partner airlines, or its preferred online travel agencies if they want to earn loyalty points.

Specifically, if passengers with AAdvantage accounts want to continue earning points, they must purchase American Airlines flights through any of the methods described above. American Airlines stated it would list its preferred travel agencies in late April. According to Scott Chandler, American's Vice President of Revenue Management, roughly 60% of the carrier's ticket sales are currently made directly through its website.